Dr. Joseph L. Waisman

Waisman, Dr. Joseph L., 91, died at home in Irvine on Sunday, August 29th. Joe was born March 10, 1919 in Racine, WI, the youngest child of Rachel and Frank Waisman after daughters Florence, Rose, Anne, Eva and Bess. He was raised in an observant Jewish household, but adopted as an adult the religion he followed for the rest of his life: working to improve the world and the lives of the people in it. He graduated from the University of Illinois in metallurgical engineering and shortly after married his college sweetheart, Babette (Babs) Franzus. His first job was installing factory equipment for Douglas Aircraft during WWII. After the war, he moved with his wife and infant daughter, Gail, to Sherman Oaks, CA. There he pursued a career with Douglas, and later, McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft. He worked on varied projects in natural gas containment, solar and wind energies, eventually becoming the director of research and development. He became a fellow of the American Society of Metals in 1971. His doctoral thesis at UCLA explained a mysterious incident during the Apollo space program wherein the 3rd stage of a Saturn V rocket exploded shortly after launch due to the embrittlement of its fuel container. Colleagues remember him as a brilliant scientist and mentor, who encouraged technical and ethical excellence in others. Joe made friends easily, because he was always interested in the lives, work, beliefs and travel of others. He had a dry sense of humor, and never thought as much of himself as others did. He was fascinated by the political and economic "state of the world", and was very sorry he would not live to see the world decades from now. In his younger years, he was an enthusiastic traveler, photographer, bridge player and golfer. In retirement, his pet project was to pursue an understanding of the potential of cold fusion as an alternative energy source. Joe was predeceased by his wife and sisters. Joe leaves behind his daughter, two grandchildren, their spouses, and four great-grandchildren, as well as a niece, two nephews and their children and grandchildren. Donations may be made to any non-profit dedicated to science and mathematics education, or to the Heart and Stroke or Cancer Association. Thank you so much to Joe's dear friends, who visited and encouraged him and were such a support to us during the past few years. May the memory of the righteous be a blessing to us.